Aneurysmal bone cyst: evaluation of resection and of curettage in 20 cases

The clinical, angiographic and histological aspects of 20 cases of aneurysmal bone cyst suggest that angiography is a valuable aid in the diagnosis of a cyst, differentiating it from other cystic bone lesions. Angiographic information also has a certain bearing on the origin of the lesion. It was demonstrated that other, benign, lesions may exist adjacent to the cyst or prior to it; in most cases, however, the cyst appears in a bone which is otherwise normal. The failure to differentiate between aneurysmal bone cyst and giant cell tumor in relation to sex, age, localizaiton, morphology, and clinical course (e.g. tendency of recurrence and malignant transformation) may be responsible for confusion in the literature on these lesions. Good results of treatment are achievable by resection en bloc and by resection, or curettage with bone grafting. Curettage alone is inadequate. Only two recurrences (10%) were recorded in the present series during the average follow-up period of 4.5 years.